Take This Tune

In my early years i.e., my 20s and 30s, I was taken by this song sung first by Wilson Pickett and then The Commitments. The Commitments picked up the rhythm a bit and it became for me a perfect song for driving. In those days I had to drive upstate New York, often alone, and Mustang Sally kept me singing and driving.

The Commitments is a 1991 film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Roddy Doyle, which tells the story of some unemployed Dubliners who form a soul band. It was directed by Alan Parker from a screenplay adapted by Dick Clement, Ian Le Frenais and Doyle himself. The film was an international co-production between companies in Ireland, the UK, and the United States.

It was filmed on location in Dublin.^[1]

The Commitments stars Robert Arkins as Jimmy Rabbitte, Johnny Murphy as Joey "The Lips" Fagan, and Colm Meaney as Jimmy Rabbitte Sr. The members of the band are played by Michael Aherne, Angeline Ball, Maria Doyle, Dave Finnegan, Bronagh Gallagher, Félim Gormley, Glen Hansard, Dick Massey, Kenneth McCluskey, and Andrew Strong as Deco.

The featured song in the movie was "Mustang Sally" by Sir Mack Rice. The film was very successful at the box office and introduced a new generation to rhythm and blues.

Lyrics:

Mustang Sally
H'uh, h'uh
Guess you better slow
Your Mustang down
Oh Lord, what I say now

Mustang Sally, now baby
Oh Lord
Guess you better slow
Your Mustang down
H'uh, oh yeah

You been runnin' all over town, now
Oh, I guess I have to put your flat feet
On the ground
Ha!
What I said, now

Listen!
All you wanna do is ride around Sally
(Ride Sally, ride)
All you wanna do is ride around Sally
(Ride Sally, ride)
All you wanna do is ride around Sally
(Ride Sally ride) hu'h
All you wanna do is a ride around Sally
Alright (ride Sally ride)
Well, listen

One of these early mornins', yeah
Woow!
Gonna be wipin' yo weepin' eyes
H'uh!
What I said, now

Look-a-here!
I bought you a brand new Mustang
A nineteen sixty-five, h'uh!
Now you come around
Signifyin', now woman
You don't wanna let me ride

Mustang Sally, now baby
Oh Lord!
Guess you better slow that Mustang down
H'uh! oh Lord!
Listen, you been runnin' all over town
OOOW!
I have to put your flat feet on the ground
H'uh!
What I said now, yeah

Let me say it one more time y'all

Now, all you wanna do is ride around Sally
(Ride Sally)

All you wanna do is ride around Sally

FADES-

(Ride, Sally ride)

Ride Sally.

As an aside, Sally Ride was the first American woman in space and her name became associated with the song.